Alumus profile: Mr Govind Narayan Sinha

Programme: LLM by Research, (2003)Current position: Director, State Forest Research Institute, (Department of Environment and Forests Government of Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar, India.)

How have you got where you are today?

After completing my education from the University of Birmingham, I resumed my government job in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. From June 2002 onwards I have held many government positions namely Managing Director, Arunachal Pradesh Forest Corporation Limited, Secretary Tourism to State Government, Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board. Presently I am holding the post of Director, State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) and am also Member Secretary of the State Medicinal Plants Board and State Biodiversity Board.

What does your current job involve?

My current job is to guide forestry research in Arunachal Pradesh and also to promote biodiversity conservation through a variety of research schemes.

What is the best thing about what you are doing now?

Forestry research including non-timber forest products have not received adequate attention in the past. There are restrictions on extracting timber from tropical rain forests in Arunachal Pradesh. I plan and guide research ont the protection of natural forests and sustainable utilization of non-forests products like cane, bamboo and medicinal plants.

What was the best thing about your time as a student here?

The best things that I learnt at the University of Birmingham is about the importance of comparative law, confidence in computer applications and thinking critically about issues which come to my attention.

In what way did living and studying in Birmingham live up to your expectations?

The University of Birmingham offered me good accommodation and library resources. Both of these were more than enough to meet my expectations.

What advice would you give to current students studying Law at the University?

The University offers excellent library facilities and the attitudes of the members of the faculty are warm and friendly. In addition to what I have stated above, I would say that the University offers excellent facility for sports and games. The very location of the University is at Edgbaston, which is famous for Test Cricket.

Mr.G.N.Sinha, IFS

Mr.G.N.Sinha did his M.Sc Chemistry in 1977 and LL.B in 1997. He worked as a Senior Research Fellow in Organic Chemistry at the Banaras Hindu University and later joined Indian Forest Service (1983 batch). Indian Forest Service is an All India Service under Government of India. He studied at the Universities of Edinburgh and Wolverhampton in 1996. He completed his LL.M (by research) from the University of Birmingham under the inspiring guidance of Professor Andrew Le Sueur. He held many important assignments in Government of India and the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Mention should be made of Associate Professor, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Secretary Planning and Tourism to Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Managing Director, Arunachal Pradesh Forest Corporation Limited (APFCL) and Member Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB). Presently he holds the position of Director, State Forest Research Institute (SFRI), Member Secretary, State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB) and State Biodiversity Board (SBB).

He has authored many papers for national and international publications. He has also edited a book on Planning and Development in Arunachal Pradesh. He is a member of many professional bodies including the UK Environmental Law Association. His specializations are development planning, policy and legal aspects of natural resources management, project formulation and as a resource person to many Universities and Institutions in India on law and policy relating to natural resources.